With advances in computer networking combined with the development of powerful home computers and modern operating systems, the ability to provide streaming media has become more viable and in turn the demand for such streaming media has significantly increased. As the demand for streaming media increases, the ability to verify program and ad content carried within a given media stream has become useful. In conventional communication systems, in order to verify program content being carried within a given media stream, inspection devices (e.g., deep packet inspection (DPI) devices) can be deployed which are operable to decode the content of the streaming media. DPI devices have the ability to inspect Layer 2 through Layer 7 of the OSI model (Open System Interconnection model), including headers and data protocol structures as well as the actual payload of the message. These DPI devices can identify and classify the traffic based on a signature database that includes information extracted from the data part of a packet.
In addition, a moving pictures expert group transport stream (MPEG2-TS) header may include an optional field that allows for placement of a program identifier indicating a program provider call sign (e.g., CBS Broadcasting Inc. (CBS), Discovery Channel (DSC), Disney Channel (DIS), Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN), etc.). The MPEG2-TS header is part of the IP payload. However, since some encryption implementations encrypt the MPEG2-TS header (while others do not), this optional field is typically not used nor supported by all MPEG-2 TS devices.